Outsourcing in a Business and Development Perspective

Invitation to CBDS Workshop.

Background

Outsourcing, here understood as off shoring of business activities to firms in developing countries, is increasingly on the strategic agenda of Danish companies, and politically it is intensely discussed, what role outsourcing plays for Danish competitiveness and job creation. However the other side of the outsourcing discussion is that outsourcing creates unprecedented opportunities for developing countries in terms of integrating into the global economy, creating jobs, generating export, and upgrading capabilities of local firms and industries.

The strategic challenges and possibilities of outsourcing for firms and industries in developing countries are rarely discussed in the academic as well as political debate. The Workshop “Outsourcing in a Business and Development Perspective”, will provide a number of researchers’ and companies’ view on, how outsourcing cooperation between Danish firms and firms in developing countries is structured, the possibilities and limitations of outsourcing cooperation with local firms in developing countries, as well as the learning and upgrading implications for firms and industries in developing countries of such outsourcing cooperation.

Objective

The objective of the Workshop “Outsourcing in a Business and Development Perspective” is to create dialogue between firms, organizations and academia to get a better understanding of the dynamics and effects of outsourcing activities in developing countries.

The Workshop presentations and discussions will provide inputs to large Danida supported research project - ’Outsourcing for Development’ – which investigates the developmental consequences of Danish companies’ outsourcing co-operations in six countries in Asia and Africa (China, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Africa and Ghana).

The project is carried out by a group of researchers at Copenhagen Business School and Aalborg University. The project builds on a previous project conducted by the same group - ’Globalization, Competitiveness and Third World Enterprises’ – which focused on the development effects of Danish foreign direct investment in developing countries.

Preliminary programme:

8.30 Arrival, Registration and Coffe/Tea

Welcome, purpose of workshop and introduction to the “Outsourcing for Development” research project

Michael W. Hansen, Copenhagen Business School

Setting the stage: Experiences from the research project ’Globalization, Competitiveness and Third World Enterprises’: What are the lessons for the outsourcing discussion?

Henrik Schaumburg-Müller, Copenhagen Business School

Insourcing versus outsourcing: When do firms chose to keep control over the production, when do they outsource? And what are the implications for firms in developing countries?

Introduction to theme by Henrik Schaumburg-Müller, Copenhagen Business School

Firm case presentation

Offshoring of knowledge intensive activities: What are the limits to offshoring of R&D activities?

Introduction by Peter Wad, Copenhagen Business School

Firm case presentation by FLS

Outsourcing intermediaries: Partner identification and organization of relations to outsourcing partners in developing countries.

Introduction to theme by Olav Jull Sørensen, AAU

Firm Case presentation by Kring

The role of transport and shipping firms in creating outsourcing opportunities in developing countries.

Introduction to theme by Majbritt Greve, Copenhagen Business School

Firm case presentation

Proactive strategies of the outsourcee in developing countries: Moving into outward investment in OECD countries

Introduction to theme by Peter Ørberg, Copenhagen Business School

Firm case presentation by Tata

Plenum discussion: Lessons for research and strategy

Facilitator: Olav Jull Sørensen

13.00-14.00 Lunch

14.15 Launching and reception of the book ‘Transnational Corporations and Local Firms in Developing Countries – Linkages and Upgrading’, written by the research group behind the ‘Outsourcing for Development’ project.

Registration:

There are only a limited number of seats (30). Therefore it is necessary to register as a participant by contacting Mariene Ferguson, ma.ikl@cbs.dk

tel. 38153199

There is no fee for participation.

The Workshop will be conducted in English.